ES2372105A1 - Portable mechanical device for the clarification of flowers and fruit recience in trees and shrubs. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Portable mechanical device for thinning flowers and fresh fruit set in trees and shrubs. The object of the present invention consists of a mechanical device, which, operated by an operator from the ground, allows the removal of freshly set flowers and fruits of fruit trees and shrubs. An electric motor is used to generate the rotational movement of the shaft, which is transmitted through the interior of a lance to the free end, where a rotating head is available, in which multiple filiform elements of predetermined length are inserted. The main novelty of the present invention with respect to other means known and used for this purpose is the possibility of changing the filiform elements that cause the demolition, which in combination with the selection of the rotation speed of the head, allows to knock down an adequate amount of freshly set flowers or fruits. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

Portable mechanical device for thinning of flowers and fruits freshly set in trees and shrubs.

Object of the invention

The present invention, as expressed in the set forth in this specification, refers to a device mechanical, which driven by an operator from the ground, allows Eliminate freshly curled flowers and fruits from fruit trees and shrubs. The main novelty of the invention with respect to other means known and used for this purpose is the possibility of changing the filiform elements that cause the demolition depending on whether Flowers or fruits.

More specifically the present invention proposes the development and construction of a team powered by a engine, which inside a spear, transmits the movement rotating from the shaft to the free end where a head is available rotary, in which multiple filiform elements of default length To adapt the equipment to the different needs, the operator can put on the rotary head filiform elements of different characteristics as intended knock down freshly set flowers or fruits, as well as adjust the speed of rotation of said head to make the demolition more suitable.

Technical sector

The present invention fits within the industrial sector dedicated to the construction of machinery agricultural in general; more specifically, it consists of a team mechanical, which driven by an operator from the ground, allows eliminate fresh fruit and flowers from fruit trees and shrubbery.

Background of the invention

One of the necessary cultivation work in some fruit trees (peach tree, apple tree, pear tree, etc.) to obtain Commercial caliber fruit consists of eliminating much of the Freshly formed flowers or fruits. This work called thinning, is made by operators, who from the ground or helped by stairs, remove by hand the flowers or fresh fruit set all branches of the tree; so that the distance between flowers or contiguous fruits are sufficient to ensure an ideal caliber for the final destination of production, whether it is fresh trade or canning industry If the thinning is done in a traditional way, that is to say by hand, this is one of the tasks that needs more time, along with the collection. This work must be done at the time appropriate according to the destination of the fruit, being better in the case of fruit for fresh market, make it as close as possible to the flowering.

The search for alternatives to manual thinning, that may reduce the time taken to perform this work is they can group mainly in two (i) those that use methods chemicals and (ii) those that use mechanical methods.

When chemicals are used, the treatment must be performed in the process of differentiation and flower bud formation that takes place in the period anterior vegetative The results of these methods have not been constant in the years, nor in the varieties, which together with the weather uncertainty of winter and beginning of spring, It makes them not widespread.

The mechanical methods used for thinning they are mainly based on the use of inertia vibrators (of trunk or branches), or vibrators of the leaf mass (twigs, leaves...). In most cases it is about own invention of researchers and / or farmers, some of the which have become patented. Mechanical systems do not produce uniformity of spacing between fruits along the branches, and they require a specific production pruning that eliminates the branches too long, which facilitates the effect of thinning and may improve the distribution of fruits on the tree. A very advantage important of the mechanical methods is its possibility of use in ecological agriculture.

In the current state of the art within this industrial sector there are already equipment proposed for thinning of flowers and / or fruits. For example, patents WO 2008142330 and US 1540392, they use poles with the curved end, that when passing what along the branches remove part of the flowers; and the US patent 3232034 poses a device with multiple fingers, indicated for give off fruits when hitting them, both for thinning and for Fruit picking In general, the first two patents are indicated only to detach flowers from the side of the branch that touches the pole; and the last one, can also be used for fruits.

Under another concept, we find the DE patents 4103915A1 and DE 19604758A1, and utility model ES 1066684 U, which They are based on large rotating devices, consisting of threads of very flexible materials, which are carried on the part front of the tractor, and when moving along the rows of Trees hit the branches and eliminate the most exposed flowers. Also WO2009030479 patent which uses as an individual element a comb of fingers, and proposes the assembly of 4 individual elements on a rotating shaft. In general all of them use elements filiform, which act as a result of the rotary movement of the shaft Like whips, shedding flowers Only in the case of the last patent the inventors also recommend it for thinning of fruits. These devices are especially suitable for trees with training in palmeta, where the equipment acts in all the height of the tree.

The invention patent presented in this Descriptive memory is especially notable because it presents the advantage of changing the head filiform elements, to adapt them to the first detachment of flowers and after fresh fruit set, which increases the period annual use of the equipment. In addition, being a team managed by a operator, allows to apply a greater or lesser intensity in the thinning from different parts of the tree, depending on the initial amount of flowers or of fruits.

Description of the invention

The equipment object of this patent is Designed for thinning flowers and fresh fruit. It consists of a device composed of a support structure in which includes a small autonomous engine, preferably electric, connected to an appropriate gearbox, which transmits the rotary movement of the motor shaft, inside a throws, until its end where a cylinder that acts as head, and where multiple filiform elements of predetermined length, distributed along it. The lance length is the one indicated so that the user always I can work from the ground.

The set consisting of the structure of handle, motor-reducer, lance and cylinder rotating constitute an element, which with the collaboration of a appropriate harness, is intended to be transported by the own user who manages it while doing the thinning.

In order that the equipment is totally autonomous engine and a speed selector to regulate the speed of rotation of the rotating head.

To give the team greater versatility and power adapt it to different phenological stages of fruit trees on swivel cylinder is removable and has the possibility to accommodate filiform elements of different materials. Preferably they will use more elastic materials, nylon type, for the demolition of flowers and more rigid materials, rubber type, for fresh fruits curdled Likewise, in regards to the turning speed of cylinder is advised to select lower turning speeds to knock down flowers and higher for the demolition of fruits.

The thinning is done by an operator, who once the type and number of filiform elements have been chosen and selected the spindle speed according to the phenological state of the fruit trees, you can carry your laptop suspended on your shoulder by means of a harness, and to govern said machine with a hand held in the support structure and another in a handle placed on the lance.

Brief description of the drawings

To complement the description that is being performing and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, the present specification is accompanied descriptive, as an integral part of it, of a single sheet of planes in which with an illustrative and non-limiting nature and in its single figure, the profile view has been schematically represented of the portable mechanical equipment for thinning flowers and fruits freshly set in accordance with the purpose of this invention.

Description of a preferred embodiment

As indicated above, the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the object of the present invention, will be carried out in what continue with the help of the attached drawing, through which they are used numerical references to designate the parts that integrate it. So, attending to the representation that appears in figure 1 (and only), a schematic perspective view of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, for its use as a means of thinning applicable to different fruit trees, in order to provide higher quality Commercial to fruits. The device comprises a structure support (1) in which a small autonomous motor (2) is included, preferably electric, connected to a gearbox (3) appropriate, which transmits the rotary motion of the motor shaft, inside a spear (4), to its end where supported by a bearing allows to rotate to a cylinder of approximately 20 cm of length, which acts as a head (5), and where they are inserted, so independent up to 10 filiform elements (6) of a length Approximately 20 cm, distributed equidistant along the same. The length of the lance is 1.5 m, so that the user I can always work on the ground.

The set consisting of the structure of handle, motor-reducer, lance and cylinder rotating constitute an element, which with the collaboration of a appropriate harness (7), is intended to be transported by the operator who manages the equipment while clearing; what for to be able to govern it with both hands, the support structure has a handle (8) and another handle (9) is available on the lance, in this second adjustable case, to be able to adapt it to the size of the operator.

In order that the equipment is totally autonomous the motor (2) will be powered by a cable driver (10) from a backpack that the operator will carry, and where a battery (11), and a junction box (12) with a button (13) for starting the engine and a selector switch speed (14) that allows regulating the spindle speed rotating between 200 and 400 revolutions per minute.

Claims (6)

1. Portable mechanical device for thinning flowers and fruits freshly set in trees and shrubs, which being of the type operated by an operator from the ground, characterized in that it comprises a support structure (1) in which a small electric motor (2), connected to a gearbox (3), which transmits the rotary movement of the motor shaft, inside a lance (4), to its end where, supported by a bearing, it allows to rotate a cylinder, which it acts as a head (5), and where filiform elements (6) of an approximate predetermined length are inserted independently, and distributed equidistant along it. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the lance will allow the user to always work on the ground. 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the assembly comprising the handle structure, the motor-reducer, the lance and the rotating cylinder constitute an element, which with the collaboration of an appropriate harness (7), It is intended to be transported by the operator who manages the equipment while clearing; and that to be able to govern with both hands, the support structure has a handle (8) and another handle (9) is available in the lance, which in this case is adjustable, so that it can be adapted to the operator. Device according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the motor (2) is powered by a conductor cable (10) from a backpack carrying the operator, and where a battery (11) is housed, and a junction box (12) with a button (13) for starting the engine and a speed selector (14) that allows to regulate the rotational speed of the rotating head. 5. Device, according to claims 1 and 3, characterized by a rotating head (5) with removable fixing means that allows to accommodate more elastic filiform elements, nylon type, for the demolition of flowers and more rigid materials, rubber type, for fresh fruits. Device according to claims 1 and 5, characterized in that using filiform elements (6) of different materials and choosing with the speed selector (14), a spindle speed (5), lower to knock down flowers and higher for the demolition of fruits, allows to adapt properly the device for thinning flowers or fresh fruit.